Why it Matters
The market for cloud-based virtual desktops is maturing. As organisations move beyond initial adoption, their focus invariably shifts towards operational efficiency, cost containment, and optimisation. While AVD is a powerful platform, internal IT teams often find that managing it at scale introduces significant operational overhead.
In response, two dominant models for managing this complexity have emerged. The first is the fully outsourced approach offered by MSPs like Cubesys, where an organisation hands over the entire operational lifecycle of its AVD environment to a third party. This can be attractive for businesses lacking specialised in-house skills or those seeking to convert operational expenditure into a predictable monthly cost. However, a cautious approach is warranted. Organisations must carefully vet the provider’s technical capabilities and critically assess SLAs to ensure they meet business requirements for uptime, performance, and support.
The second model involves leveraging specialised management platforms from independent software vendors (ISVs) like Nerdio. These platforms act as a force multiplier for internal IT teams, providing sophisticated automation and simplification tools for deployment, cost optimisation through advanced autoscaling, and streamlined image management. This approach allows an organisation to retain direct control and visibility over its environment while reducing the manual effort required to manage it.
The decision between these two models represents a strategic choice: to outsource the function entirely or to empower the internal team with better tools.
Who’s Impacted?
- IT Operations Managers: They must evaluate the total cost of ownership (TCO) and strategic implications of outsourcing AVD management versus retaining it in-house, potentially augmented by a management platform. The decision impacts budget allocation, staff development, and operational agility.
- Desktop Teams: Their day-to-day responsibilities will change significantly depending on the chosen model. Under a managed service agreement, their role shifts from hands-on administration to vendor and service level management. With a management platform, they become strategic administrators, leveraging automation to manage a more complex environment efficiently.
Next Steps
- Conduct an Internal Skills Audit: Objectively assess your team’s capacity and expertise to manage the complexities of a large-scale AVD deployment.
- Model the Costs: Develop a detailed TCO analysis comparing a fully managed service with the cost of in-house management, including the licensing for a third party management platform.
- Define Clear Objectives: Before engaging with any vendor, establish precise business and operational goals for your virtual desktop environment, including performance, availability, and user experience metrics.
- Perform Due Diligence: If considering a managed service, rigorously investigate the provider’s SLAs, security posture, and reference clients to validate their capabilities.
